In 2009, the Pleskos opened InSight Gallery, a fine art gallery on Main Street in downtown Fredericksburg. In spite of opening during a rough national economic downturn, the business has been tremendously successful, experiencing growth of over 50 percent each year with no signs of slowing down.

In June 1998, she moved her chocolate company from Washington State to Fredericksburg. Lecia is the only chocolatier in the nation to produce liquid center chocolates filled with spirits, wines, non-alcohols, even cocktails, a unique twist on a centuries’ old European process.

In 1996, David and Beverly Smith opened Gillespie Air Services, the sole Fixed-Base Operator (FBO) at the Gillespie County Airport. The company’s facilities include professional flight support services, fuel, business aircraft storage hangars and a car rental service.

Leaving corporate America, Dave found himself at Heartland Enterprises, a Fredericksburg company founded in 1986. Dave purchased the company in 1997 and has been here ever since. Heartland specializes in the production machining of large parts, in a variety of materials. The company has skilled, company-trained employees who are happy to make Heartland a career.

Brian Heath purchased Grape Creek Vineyards from the founder’s heirs in 2006. Since then, the wine production has grown ten-fold, largely due to Gillespie County’s thriving wine industry. Grape Creek now has three locations, and is one of the largest wineries in the State.